[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AMERICANS DEPEND ON CLEAN WATER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Napolitano) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, as the chair of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I rise 
to celebrate Clean Water Week. I would like to take this opportunity to 
highlight the importance of water for our communities, not only in my 
home State of California, but across the country. Americans depend on 
clean water for their health, the health of their communities, and the 
health of the economy.
  Our water resources are precious, and every drop matters, which is 
why we need significant Federal investment in our Nation's 
infrastructure and strong Federal protections for our Nation's water 
resources.
  We need to protect our waterways, large and small, from pollution; 
ensure we conserve our water resources; recycle water where we can; and 
protect our groundwater resources for long-term reliance.
  There are tremendous clean water infrastructure needs facing our 
country. Our communities, large and small, urban and rural, and tribal, 
as well as our American families are facing great challenges in meeting 
these needs.

  Today, our Nation's network of sewers, stormwater conveyances, and 
treatment facilities are aging, often very outdated, and, in many 
places all over the country, not meeting the needs of our communities 
or water quality standards.
  We, in Congress, need to do more, not only to renew the Federal 
financial commitment to repair, replace, and upgrade our water-related 
infrastructure, but also to ensure that this work remains affordable to 
all of our communities.
  Today, too many Americans are uncertain whether their drinking water 
is safe for themselves and for their families. Now is not the time to 
cut back on the protections of our Nation's clean water. Yet, this 
administration is proposing to do just that.
  For more than 45 years, the Clean Water Act has helped to protect our 
streams, our rivers, our wetlands, and our lakes, and provided States 
with the tools to keep our waters clean. This administration has 
proposed eliminating longstanding protections for small streams and 
wetlands, which play a very important role in feeding our drinking 
water resources. They also help store water during storms and alleviate 
flooding, which, in turn, protects communities. These small streams and 
wetlands help recharge our groundwater supplies. They also filter 
pollution and provide habitat for fish and wildlife.
  Clean and safe water is a very basic human need. Unfortunately, this 
administration has made it a priority to dismantle the Clean Water Act, 
regardless of what the science or the law provides. The President's 
#DirtyWaterRule puts our water and health at risk and must be stopped.
  Our drought cycle in southern California continues, even though we 
have had repeated rain in March. We must continue to conserve. This 
must be the new norm for us in the West.

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